Something Special
by LIFE the RANGER
Summary: Percy Jackson knew, from a young age, there was something special about him. His best friend, Jason Grace, knows it too. And he embraces it with him. But, the other kids at school aren't as welcoming. Then along comes Nico di Angelo, who shows Percy that being unique isn't always a bad thing. Rated T to be safe, since there's bullying.
1. Chapter 1-New Friend

So, I saw this idea on Wattpad (kinda) and it seems really interesting. I hope you all like it, I guess.

…

Percy stretched his arms above his head, smiling. Today was going to be a good day. He could tell. At least, it felt that way right now. He'd have to see how it played out. First thing's first, he needed to go and brush his teeth. Morning breath. Gross. He giggled as he strolled to his bathroom. His mom let him have his own, which was really sweet of her. He picked up his toothbrush, which was a very manly shade of pink, and began to brush his teeth,

"Morning sweetie," his mom said, sticking her head inside. He glanced at her in the mirror, smiling. "What's it going to be for breakfast today?" He shrugged.

"Something simple," he replied. "Eggs and toast? Also, is my favorite purple sweater washed? I want to wear it today." She smiled at him, which he could see in the mirror. His heart swelled a little. He was very thankful for his mom.

"Eggs and toast it is. And I washed your sweater last night. It's hanging up in the laundry room hun." Percy's smile stretched a little wider. She only called him hun on special days.

"Thanks mom, you're the best," he said, putting his toothbrush aside. "I'm going to get dressed. Meet you in the kitchen?" She nodded, disappearing again. Percy went to the laundry room to get his favorite sweater. He put on black jeans to go with it. He contemplated adding one of his much beloved flower crowns, but decided against it at the last moment. He blushed faintly. Percy really liked his flower crowns, but some people at school found it weird, and he was still a little self-conscious. He decided to take a selfie to send to his best friend, Jason Grace. He stood in front of his bathroom mirror, taking a picture like that. He gave a dimpled smile.

 _Just wanted to show you today's outfit_ , he texted with the picture. _Do you like it? Should I add a flower crown? I want to, but…_ He left it at that. Jason would know what to say. He always did. That's why Percy loved Jason so much. Because he always knew exactly what to say. He was relieved when Jason texted back quickly.

 _Perce, wear whatever you want. You're pretty in whatever_. Percy giggled in response to Jason's sweet texts. Though he frowned at Perce. But he shrugged. It was bound to happen. _Oh, sorry sweetie. I forgot. Meet you at school? Promise I'll remember this time_. Percy sighed. Sometimes, it was difficult.

 _It's fine Jace. I know it happens_. He glanced at his response. _I'll see ya there. And, don't worry if you slip up, okay?_ He stuffed his phone in his pocket, placing a flower crown on his head. They were pretty white and very real. He'd learned how to make them last year. He glanced at himself in his mirror, giving another dimpled smile. He looked like how he felt today, sort of, which was good.

"You all ready hun?" his mom called. "Breakfast is done." He practically skipped down the hall. He emerged into the kitchen, seeing his favorite blue plate with egg whites and toast. He sighed contently, taking his place at the table. He liked to have breakfast with his mom every morning he could. He didn't think enough families spent the morning together, so he made it a point to have breakfast with his mom at least three times a week. "You look very pretty today hun. Is that your outfit?"

"Yep!" Percy exclaimed, holding his arms out. The sweater was really loose on his, which he didn't mind in the slightest. Besides, Jason found it adorable when he wore clothes that were too big for him. He began to shovel in egg whites. "Think you can drive me to school today?" he asked between bites. "I don't really want to take the bus today."

"Why not sweetie? Are Dax and his crew making fun of you again?" Percy froze, a bite of egg whites forgotten. He set his fork down.

"No," he lied, faking a smile. "I just want to see Jason faster, that's all. I told him I'd meet him at school." At that, his mom smiled softly. She assumed Jason and her son had a thing going on that they weren't telling her about, because Jason was always around and was very affectionate and slightly overprotective of Percy. It was oddly adorable, however.

"Alright, I'll take you to school today," she said, and Percy rose and threw his arms around her.

"Thank you so much!" he gushed. "I'm going to go get ready!" He raced off down the hall, his half-eaten breakfast forgotten. Sally chuckled to herself. Her son was certainly something else today. Then again, he was something else every day. She chuckled at her own pun. Then she frowned. She was hoping Daxter was leaving her son alone. He was different, sure, but that was part of his charm. "Ready to go mom?" he asked, racing back into the kitchen. She chuckled, ruffling his hair.

"Let's go hun," she said, rising. She grabbed her keys off the hook, and Percy led them out of their apartment. She noticed that, despite his outfit, he had his black backpack. At that, she frowned. He almost always used the purple one. Was Daxter giving him trouble? It wasn't the first time. And, sadly, it wouldn't be the last. She suppressed a sigh. At least her son had Jason. He wouldn't turn on him. Or, he'd better not, if he knew what was good for him.

…

"Hey you," Jason said as soon as Percy stepped out of his car. He slung an arm over the brunette's shoulders. Percy smiled at him, adjusting his flower crown. Then he ducked his head when he saw Dax approaching them. Dax's friends, Ryder and Ethan, trailed him like the followers they were. "Don't pay them any mind sweetie," Jason said, steering Percy away. "They can't hurt you, remember?"

"I do," Percy said softly, rubbing his arm. It still hurt a little from when Dax shoved him into those lockers. But, he didn't want to tell Jason that. The last time that Jason and Dax got into a scrape, they'd both been suspended. He didn't want to get the blonde in trouble again. So, he just kept the bullying to himself. "It's hard Jace," he said quietly. "It's hard being…who I am."

"Shush sweetie," Jason said, leading the brunette to his locker. "You're special, and there's nothing wrong with that." Percy gave the blonde a tiny smile, but sighed quietly. He wasn't sure if being different was good. So far, it just got him lots of bullies. Or people who didn't want to talk to him. "Perce," Jason said. Percy internally winced at that. But, he was trying. Slip-ups were bound to happen. "There is nothing wrong with you."

"Are you sure about that?" Percy mumbled, taking his flower crown off and placing it in his locker. He examined his nails, which he'd painted a pretty lilac color this morning. But, he was starting to regret that. It would just draw more attention.

"Hey, I know what will cheer you up," Jason spoke up. "There's a new kid that starts today. Do you wanna go meet him?" Percy chewed his lower lip. Well, yes, he did. He loved meeting new students. But… "Don't worry about your outfit sweetie. It's cute. Come on." The blonde tugged the brunette down the hall, towards the office. Percy clutched his books to his chest. "His name is Nico. People don't know much about him, but I've heard his quiet."

"Oh," Percy said, frowning. He wasn't sure what he thought of that. He liked quiet kids, because he himself was a quiet kid, but... "This'll be fun," Percy said with fake enthusiasm, plastering a smile on his face. He skipped ahead of the blonde, which caused Jason to chuckle. He really hated seeing his friend so down. He understood the brunette was special, and he didn't exactly understand why no one else could see that was a good thing. "Come on slow poke!" Percy called back from ahead. Jason rolled his eyes.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he called back, picking up the pace. He really loved Percy. Not like that, since he was straight, but like a little brother. Since he was older by a month, it wasn't that far-fetched. He chuckled when Percy stopped in front of the office doors, looking at them expectantly. Nico was in there, getting his schedule. Jason chuckled again. This was the Percy he knew. The hyper one, who was happy and could light up a room just by being in it. "Don't scare him off sweetie," he said when he caught up. Percy pouted at him, but backed up a few feet.

The blonde wrapped a comforting arm around Percy's shoulders while they waited. He took the time to study the brunette. Percy was wearing the sweater that Jason loved. The really baggy purple one that hung loosely on him. And black jeans, which was unusual. He played with his fingers while they waited, a nervous habit he'd picked up over the years. Jason felt the strong urge to kiss his temple or coo at him, but that would bring attention to brunette that he didn't want. Jason contented himself with laying his head on top of the brunette's, now that he didn't have his pretty flower crown.

"Hey," Jason said softly when a dark-haired boy emerged from the office. He jumped slightly, then grinned at the duo. "You must be Nico. I'm Jason," the blonde greeted. Percy ducked behind the blonde, peering out at the dark-haired boy. "And this shy little flower is Percy."

"Hi," Percy said shyly. Why? Why did he have to be this way today? He really didn't like meeting new people when he was…like this.

"You're sweater is really cute," Nico said, smiling kindly. He sensed the brunette's unease. He wasn't very comfortable with himself. Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned. Three boys were approaching. The one in the lead, a tall red-head, sneered at them. Nico raised an eyebrow. But he didn't miss the way that the blonde wrapped his arm a little tighter around the brunette. Hmm. "Yo!" Nico called out. "You got a problem here?"

"Yeah," Dax spat, making his way over. Percy trembled in Jason's grip. God, he hated this. Why would the new guy single them out? "Why are you even associating with those freaks?" Dax asked, casually plucking the brunette from the blonde's gasp. Percy froze, and Jason growled, a sound coming deep from inside him. Nico laughed, a sound startling them all.

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked. "They seem pretty normal to me. You're ugly mug on the other hand…" Jason laughed out loud at that. Even Percy cracked a tiny smile. But it only lasted a second, since the next, he found himself on the ground. He groaned, peeling his head off the floor. Nico had to hold Jason back.

"You little piece of shit!" Jason hurled the insults at the trio, who just stared at him with matching amused expressions. "Does it make you feel any better, picking on someone like Percy?"

"What?" Ryder sneered, literally spitting at his feet. Nico's eyes widened. "Besides, _she_ can handle herself. Can't you little girl?" Percy's eyes watered slightly. It took every ounce of Nico's strength to keep Jason from kicking some serious ass. But now, the dark-haired boy was confused. She? Everything led him to believe Percy was a boy. "Oh, they didn't bother to tell you?" Ryder asked. "Percy here, is a _girl_."

"That's not true and you fucking know it!" Jason shouted. Nico was surprised that no one was even bothering to help them out. This was clearly bullying. "She identifies as a female," Jason explained, managing to lower his volume some. "But, she can identify as male too."

"I'm gender fluid," Percy said quietly from the floor, wincing when Ethan stomped, hard, on her hand. Jason growled again. He felt completely powerless. He couldn't help her. He just couldn't. Nico, for some reason, wouldn't let him. But, the boy hadn't run away. Dax shoved his face into Percy's. She winced when his harsh breath hit her face.

"You're a freak," he said lowly. Percy glanced down. Yeah, she'd heard. Lots of times. "And a nobody. Nobody cares about you. Well, except for your freak boyfriend of course." Percy didn't even have the heart to defend herself on that, even though she normally would. "Have fun there boys, and _girl_ , ta ta." He waved over his shoulder, leading Ethan and Ryder away. Percy sighed, getting up from the floor, wiping her jeans off. Jason finally tore himself away from Nico. He was by her side in an instant.

"Oh god sweetie, I'm so sorry," Jason apologized, checking her over. "Did they hurt you? If they did, I swear I'll kick them all the way to the Atlantic." Percy sighed, shoving Jason off.

"I'm fine Jace," she lied, gathering her books. "Just…I want to go to class, okay?" Jason sighed, but nodded reluctantly. He fell in step beside the brunette, walking her to class in case Daxter decided to show his ugly mug again. Surprisingly, Nico fell in step with them.

"We didn't scare you off?" Jason asked. "I figured you wouldn't want to be seen with us again." Percy hung her head. God, she was just ruining people's lives.

"Nah," Nico said. "You're unique. And, I sense there's a lot that's special about you." Percy cracked a tiny little smile. "Don't be afraid to be who you are Percy." Percy ducked her head. Nico was taking this so much better than she originally planned. "Is there anything special regarding her?" Nico asked, slipping smoothly into the correct pronoun. Percy looked up sharply. Even Jason still struggled with that sometimes.

"You don't have to accept what I am if you don't want to," she said quietly. Nico looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "I…I understand if you don't want to. It's hard to get used to."

"Nonsense," Nico said, waving a hand. "At my old school, my boyfriend was gender fluid. On days when he was she, she was my girlfriend. When he was he, he was my boyfriend." Percy's eyes grew wider with every word. Nico was gay? He'd had a boyfriend that was gender fluid? It almost seemed too good to be true. "His name was Ashton normally. But sometimes, she would be Ashley. And, that was okay." Percy suddenly launched herself at Nico, wrapping him in a hug. He laughed. Jason stared at them in shock. He'd never seen Percy do that.

"She's not normally like that," he said with a lopsided grin. "Let's go little lady. Class awaits." He pulled Percy away from Nico, who gave her a kind grin. She waved at the boy, feeling her heart flutter. This really was too good to be true.

…

Sorry for the sudden pronoun change in the middle. Yes, I'm going to be honoring Percy's pronouns. His name will still be Percy for both, spelled the same. Also, the Ashton/Ashley thing was first Larry_Lashton's idea. Well, the name switch like that was. Anyway, you'll see more how this plays out in later chapters.


	2. Chapter 2-Nail Art

I'm glad to see people seem to really like the idea. It was something I'd been tossing around for awhile, but I was scared no one would like it. Seems to get support so far. Hope you like the new chapter.

…

"Come, sit," Jason instructed, sitting cross-legged on Percy's desk. Giggling, Percy made her way over, sitting in her desk chair. She turned so she was facing her bed, where Nico sat. Jason invited the dark-haired boy over, though the brunette honestly wasn't sure why. But, he made her somewhat happy, so she wouldn't complain too much. "So Nico, tell us a little about yourself," Jason said, beginning to mess with Percy's hair. She kept it a little long, because, well, she wanted to. "Sweetie, you need to make sure you brush this lion's mane you call your hair. It's hard to work when it's messy."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy said with a roll of her eyes. But she was grateful for her friend nonetheless. He had learned how to braid and style hair so he could keep her happy. Percy wasn't sure what she'd do without Jason around.

"You know how to do hair?" Nico asked. "Man, I wish I would've learned. It would've made Ash so happy if I could style her hair when she was Ashley." Percy beamed at him. He would never want to date Jason, but same concept really. "Wanna teach me sometime?" the dark-haired boy asked.

"Course," Jason replied, scooting over. "We can practice while you tell us about yourself." Nico moved from his place on the bed and sat next to Jason on the desk. Percy glanced over her shoulder. This new boy really was too good to be true. "Well, I we moved cross country, from Cali," Nico began, watching as Jason twisted Percy's hair into a braid. "I was out as gay when I met Ash, and at first I had no idea he was gender fluid. He just seemed more…girly some days. I asked him out a few times, but he always said no. But one day, I'm assuming while he was Ashton, he said yes."

"Really?" Percy asked, wincing when Jason tugged her hair a little too forcefully. "Easy Jay," she scolded gently.

"Yep," Nico replied, nudging Jason over. It didn't look very complicated, so he took over. "Poor thing was scared to death when I showed up at his doorstep. Except, he wasn't him. She was Ashley at the time. She was wearing this adorable bright pink sweater and pale jeans. She was practically shaking when she told me that she couldn't go out because…well, she wasn't a boy that day. But I didn't care. When he was Ashton, I had a handsome boyfriend. But, when she was Ashley, I had a pretty girlfriend. It was a little difficult to accept at first, sure, and I always messed up on the pronouns. But, he was patient with me."

"This one still messes up too," Percy said, jerking her thumb towards Jason, who grinned sheepishly. He was trying. He'd looked up proper steps for weeks trying to figure out how to adjust when Percy first told him. He was mostly used to her by now, but some things still took him by surprise. "It's okay though. The point is he's trying." Jason did grin at that, because he was. Percy was still his friend, no matter her gender.

"She texts me her outfits in the morning," Jason explained. "So I know the gender. Did you remove your nail polish?" Percy looked down at her nails, nodding slowly. Ethan made a comment at lunch, so she went to the bathroom (the boys' because they wouldn't let her use the girls) and scrubbed it off. "Why? Your nails are so pretty painted. Was Daxter making fun of you again?" At that, his voice hardened some.

"Not Daxter, Ethan," Percy spoke up, because she did not want Jason fighting Dax again. She hated it when Jason fought on her behalf. "He said…he said I looked ridiculous with my nails painted and that was the reason no one liked me." Jason sighed inwardly. One of these days, he was going to deck Ethan. He was the quietest out of the bunch, but just barely.

"Sweetie, there is nothing wrong with painting your nails," Jason said, searching Percy's dresser top. She had lots of colors. He looked at her outfit again (which was still adorable). "Let's repaint them, okay? I'm sure it'll make you feel better. I have something to go with them."

"Oh?" Percy inquired, a tiny grin forming on her face. Jason also knew how to do her nails. Jason nodded, getting something from his bag. He'd meant to give them to her earlier, but he forgot after their encounter with Dax that morning. Jason retrieved the bottle of lilac nail polish, pulling the folding chair from its hiding place behind the desk. Nico had just finished doing her hair, tying it off with a pink hair tie.

"Is there nothing you can't do?" the dark-haired boy asked, aiming the question at Jason. The blonde looked up briefly from his work, gave him a smile, and set back to work. Nico shook his head, smiling himself. He'd never seen a friendship quite like this. If he didn't know any better (and he honestly didn't) then he would assume that Jason and Percy were dating. But they'd made no indication that their relationship was anything more than friends. Boyfriends kissed and held hands and things, as far as Nico could tell. "When did you learn to do nails?"

"Last year," the blonde replied. "I asked my sister if I could practice on her. She was sort of taken aback, but when I flat out told her I was doing it for Percy, she was all for it. She loves this one." He reached out and ruffled the brunette's hair. She giggled. "I just want her to be happy…" No one said anything for a long time, because neither Percy nor Nico knew what to say. Percy had heard that many times over, but she was still shocked that, after all this time, Jason still wanted to be friends with her. She would've thought the blonde would turn tail and run.

"You're a really good friend," Nico said at last. He wished Ash had a friend like that (other than him, because your partner didn't count). "I've never seen a friendship quite like yours before. But, I'm glad I ran into you guys today."

"That would make you the first," Percy mumbled under her breath, watching Jason work. The blonde looked sharply at her, but she just cast her eyes downward, and Jason didn't have the heart to say anything. He finished applying the base coat, so he released the brunette's hands. Nico studied both of them curiously. They were those friends that could communicate without even saying anything. He enjoyed being around friends like that. He wasn't one that had many, so seeing such good friends always made him happy.

"Look what I got you," Jason said softly, and Percy looked up. The blonde pulled something from his pocket, and Percy's eyes lit up. Nail art pens! "I know you've been wanting a couple," the blonde said with a shrug. "I wasn't sure what colors you wanted though." At that, he frowned. He was disappointed with himself. He always tried to know exactly what his friend wanted. "So I got white, pink, blue, and black." Percy wrapped her arms around his neck, being careful of her still wet nails.

"Thank you so much!" she gushed. Jason smiled softly. He did alright. "Can we use the white one today?" she asked shyly. Jason laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Course sweetie," he replied. "Gotta wait for the paint to dry fully though." Percy nodded, glancing back at Nico. He had this gigantic smile plastered on his face, which in turn caused the brunette to smile. In truth, Nico felt like he was intruding on their friendship a small bit. These two were obviously very close. "What do you want to do?" Jason asked his general audience. Percy turned to look at him.

"Why don't we tell Nico about ourselves a bit," she suggested. "After all, he's told us a bit about himself." She bit her lip, which was usually her cue she didn't want to speak first. Jason smiled softly.

"I'll go first," he volunteered, noticing the look of relief flash through her sea green eyes. "Well, there isn't much to know. I live with my mom and my sister. My dad vanished when I was a baby, so I don't know him. We've lived in the same house since I was born, so I've grown up here. It's been nice, I guess. People are close-minded though." He briefly glanced at Percy, who hung her head. He wanted to scream. This adorable little flower shouldn't have felt guilty for being the way she was. "Despite my reputation, and you might hear some things, I'm actually very sweet. Just don't push my buttons or make this one sad. I am worse than any mother you'll come across." Percy giggled. "Your turn sweetie," he said softly to the brunette. "Why don't you tell Nico what you told me when we first met."

"I'll get to that," Percy replied, turning so she was facing the dark-haired boy. "Unlike Jason, I haven't lived here my whole life. We moved when I was in fifth grade, and that was when we first met. We were fast friends. But, even back then I knew there was something different about me. I always kept to myself, because people like Dax existed back then." Nico nodded. He knew that. Not everyone was accepting of him being gay. People were less accepting when they realized he was dating someone who was gender fluid. "I…I liked dressing up and putting on make-up and looking pretty, even back then," Percy continued, looking at her newly painted nails. "And it didn't get me a lot of friends."

"Except for me, of course," Jason interrupted, smiling. He'd always liked Percy. There was never a reason not to. Percy gave him a smile of her own.

"Except for this idiot, I guess," she said, giggling when he stuck his tongue out at her. "Anyway, a few months after we met, I told Jason I was different, and he might want to stay away from me, because back home, I was branded a freak." Nico winced. At that young? This adorable thing had gone through too much. "He didn't care. I'm glad for that. He'd probably my only friend."

"I'm your friend," Nico pointed out, noticing the way Percy's entire mood seemed to shift. She gave him this brilliant smile. Jason nodded, giving the dark-haired boy a smile of his own. "Interesting life so far Percy." The brunette nodded, examining her nails.

"Yep," she replied. "Think they're dry enough now?" Jason chuckled. She had so much enthusiasm when she was happy. He hoped that Dax and his crew wouldn't permanently destroy that.

…

Percy swiveled in her chair, examining her nails. She sighed contently. He friends left hours ago, but she was so grateful for them both. Jason had learned how to do nail designs just for her. She smiled, liking the way the white dots and stripes stood out on her lilac nails. Then her phone buzzed, and her smile dropped.

 _Hey freak. Bet you wonder how I got this number. You can't hide from us forever. No one likes you, not even your weird boyfriend. Can't you see he's just pretending?_ Percy's eyes watered. Why? Why would Dax voice her one fear with the blonde? _He doesn't like you. Not even a little. He'll dump you soon enough_.

 _That's not true!_ Percy countered, praying to her lucky stars that she was right. _He cares about me very much. Why else would he beat you up?_ She thought she had it for a moment, until her phone buzzed again.

 _Yeah right! It's called an act, Perseus_. Percy winced. She hated her full name, even when she identified as male. _And that new kid, what's his name, Nico? He doesn't like you either. They're just pretending. They pity you. How could anyone like a freak?_ Percy felt the tears falling. Daxter had a point. How could anyone like her? She didn't want to tell her mom about this encounter, so she deleted the messages, hoping he wouldn't text her again tonight. She punched in Jason's number, cradling the phone to her ear.

"Sweetie, what's up?" Jason asked when he picked up. But Percy didn't say anything for a minute. Why did she call anyway? "What's wrong Percy?" Jason asked softly.

"You…you like me, right?" Percy stammered. "You…you're my friend? You don't just pity me?"

"Percy, where would you get a silly idea like that?" Jason asked, horrified. "Of course I like you. You're my adorable little flower. And I don't just pity you. It's sad to see what you've gone through, yes, but I don't just pity you. I'm not pretending to be your friend. I _am_ you friend. Who put that idea in your head anyway?"

"Daxter," the brunette said softly. "He was texting me." She heard Jason sigh.

"I'm going to beat him, I swear," he mumbled. Then; "Don't listen to him, okay sweetie? You're my best friend. And Nico is your new friend. We both like you, yeah?" Percy tried for a smile, even though Jason couldn't see it. But it felt fake, even to her.

"Yeah," she said softly. "Gotta go Jay. I'll see you at school tomorrow, yeah?" She hung up before the blonde could say anything. Her forced smile dropped. Some days, no amount of reassurance made her feel better. Was Jason just saying those things because he knew that's what she wanted her to hear? Maybe he never liked her. Maybe he thought she was freak too. "No," she said softly, examining her nails again. "He does like me. He's my best friend."

"You okay in there hun?" her mom asked, causing her to jump. She debating telling her all her doubts, but she cast the idea aside. She didn't want her mom to worry.

"I'm fine mom," she replied at last, rising. "Is it dinner time?"

"Sure is hun," her mom responded as she emerged. "I ordered pizza for us, and I rented some movies to watch." Percy smiled. Most kids would be horrified with that idea, but Percy loved spending time with her mom. "And I got cookies and cream ice cream."

"Really?" the brunette asked. "Alright!" She skipped ahead to the living room. A quiet night with her mom sounded like a good idea to her.

…

This chapter is slightly shorter than the last. I hope you like the friendship development. Percy's nickname is adorable flower I guess, lol. So far as Jason is concerned, anyway.


	3. Chapter 3-Surprise Sleepover

I love the sweet little Jason. I can't imagine him being anything but sweet and supportive of the adorable little flower that is Percy.

…

Jason dropped his bag on his bed, settling himself at his computer desk. He powered up his desktop, sighing contently. He always felt better after spending some time with Percy. Of course he would. He loved his best friend to death. Every part of her. He smiled at that. Once, Percy had once been very shy and afraid to tell him about herself. So Jason had to guess how his friend was feeling, and he hated that. He hated not knowing how Percy was feeling. Even now, there were days where Jason just couldn't read her, and it drove him nuts.

"Knock, knock," came a voice Jason just barely recognized. He turned in surprise as Nico entered. "Kinda bored, so I asked another kid I met today if they knew where you lived. Apparently he did." Nico shrugged and perched on the edge of the bed. Jason's confusion melted away and he smiled, turning back to his computer. His swift fingers moved over the keyboard without him even knowing it. "Whatcha doing?" Nico asked curiously.

"Looking up more complicated nail art videos," the blonde replied, scrolling through a bunch. "I want to learn to do some more complicated designs that way Percy has a variety. Lines and dots are fine and all, but I love all the pretty colors they come up with." He clicked on one that seemed to be a montage of different designs.

"You sure do act like Percy's boyfriend," Nico commented lightly. Jason turned to look at the dark-haired boy, trying to gauge him. He was often compared to Percy's boyfriend. And he really didn't mind much. If that's how people wanted to see him, then fine. But, truth be told, he had a girlfriend. Who was very supportive of his friendship with the brunette. "Not that I'm saying you are," he added. He looked up when the door creaked open, and in strutted a dark-skinned, dark-haired girl. His eyebrows rose. Her gaze raked over him, and he felt mildly uncomfortable. "Hi," he greeted.

"Hey babe," Jason greeted without looking away from the computer. "Perfect timing actually. Nico, this is Piper, my girlfriend. Piper, this is Nico. Perce and I hung out with him after school."

"How was he today anyway?" Piper asked. Jason turned a sour look to her. "She," Piper changed quickly, realizing her mistake. "How was she today? Was Daxter giving her trouble again?" Jason sighed, pausing the video. He suddenly felt very tired. Not that he wouldn't do it all again in a heartbeat. "Hey easy," Piper whispered to him, rubbing his shoulders. He looked back at her. "Don't wear yourself out again. You're no help to her if you can barely stand on your own two feet."

"Yeah," the blonde replied wearily. Nico watched the exchange silently. To be honest he thought the blonde was gay. _Apparently not_ , he thought ruefully to himself. He got his actual gaydar mixed up with his I'm-pretty-sure-he's-gaydar. He had to admit that the tall blonde boy and the short girl made a pretty cute couple. Especially when he tilted back in his chair and she leaned down to peck his lips. "Whatcha watching this time tough man?" she asked him.

"Intricate nail art designs," the blonde replied. "I bought Perce some nail art pens, and I wanna know how to use them." Piper smiled softly. The friendship between her boyfriend and his best friend was something she found endearing. Besides, Percy didn't have too many friends. "Can I practice on you sometime too?" Jason asked, looking at her. "I know it's not really your thing, but I need to practice on someone that isn't my sister or myself."

"Course," Piper replied. She turned to Nico. "So what are you doing here exactly?" she asked. Nico had the decency to look surprised. What was he doing here? He wasn't sure. But he found something…genuine about the blonde boy.

"Don't be rude Pipes," Jason replied, switching to a different video. "He's my new friend." Nico only nodded. Was he the blonde's friend already? He wasn't entirely sure. "Besides, he defended Percy too." Piper turned and gazed at him.

"You didn't run?" she asked. "Most people seem to."

"My ex was gender fluid," Nico explained. "So I guess I'm used to it." Though that comment didn't seem quite right either. "I guess I don't see anything wrong with her. She's a good person. Just a little down on her luck." Piper took note of the easy way Nico slipped into the proper pronouns. "Besides, I hate people like Daxter. Who think it's okay to pick on someone who's just a little different." Nico shook his head. There was a special place in hell for people like Daxter and his cronies.

All three started when the door creaked open for a second time, showing over a timid-looking Percy, who twisted the hem of her sweater in a nervous way. Jason gaped at her. Honestly he thought Percy would be asleep already. Not that he wasn't happy to see her, because he was.

"Sweetie, what are you doing here?" he asked, rising. Percy slowly slunk into the room, looking around nervously. "Hey, hey now, what's wrong?"

"I…I…" Percy stammered. "I don't know." "I couldn't sleep so I…I snuck out." Jason's eyes widened at that. Percy never snuck out after she went to bed. "Can I stay here please? Pretty please?"

"Did you even bring any pajamas or an outfit for tomorrow?" Jason asked gently. "Or your own toothbrush or shower stuff?" With each thing Percy forgot to bring, her face fell. "Or your blanket," Jason whispered. "You know you can't sleep without it." She sighed. She hated it when Jason was right. "I mean, I could loan you stuff if you identified as a boy tomorrow, but you never know."

"You could still loan me stuff," Percy replied. "No matter how I feel tomorrow." Jason just stared. Sure, he could do that, he supposed. But he liked it when Percy was herself. "Please Jason? I can't go back to mom tonight. She'd just ask too many questions." Jason sighed and shook his head.

"Alright," he agreed at last. "Omph." He chuckled as Percy plowed into him. "Wanna stay too Nico? Might as well make it fun."

"Me?" Nico squeaked. He wasn't always used to being included. "Um, sure." Percy smiled, which made this all worth it. "Though I don't have anything either." Jason lifted one shoulder in a shrug. They'd deal with all of that later.

"Well, I better get going," Piper said suddenly. "I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed Jason's cheek on the way out, ruffling Percy's hair. "Bye cutie." She strutted out in pretty much the same way she'd strutted in.

"You know, you're girlfriend's pretty awesome," Nico commented to Jason. The blonde smiled. He certainly thought so. "I do have a question however," Nico continued. "I didn't even know you had a girlfriend to begin with. How many people really know?" Jason contemplated a good answer. He knew quite a lot of people knew, or at the very least suspected. But he often didn't outright say Piper was his girlfriend. It didn't seem necessary. After all, he didn't need to flaunt his relationship in people's faces. They didn't need to know all about his personal life.

"I guess I don't find it necessary that everyone knows," he said at last. "If they really want to know, sure, I'll tell them. But if they want to assume that I'm dating this one…" He twirled one of Percy's braids with his fingers. "That's okay too."

"God I wish I had a friendship like you guys have," Nico replied to that. "I didn't have too many close friends growing up where I did." Jason shook his head. He couldn't fathom not having a best friend. "Thanks for inviting me to stay the night," the dark-haired boy added. "You really didn't need to."

"I'm glad," Percy piped up. Up until now, she'd been relatively quiet. "I like you." She ducked her head shyly, her cheeks burning. She couldn't believe she'd just said that. Nico smiled softly at the shy brunette. "I mean, I like you like I like Jay." She blinked. "I just said like a lot, didn't I?"

"Yep!" Jason exclaimed cheerfully, pulling some sleeping bags out of his closet. Pink for Percy and black for Nico. He also had a green one for one Percy was male, and plain white for the time she identified as neither. "But that's okay cause you're adorable."

"Heh, thanks I guess," the brunette replied, plucking Jason's comb off his desk and running it through her hair, wincing when it caught in the snarls. "Why don't you ever have an actual brush?" she complained playfully, setting the comb aside.

"Cause I have short hair silly," the blonde replied, spreading the sleeping bags out on the floor beside his bed. "And I don't need a brush. I don't have hair _to_ brush." Percy just rolled her eyes, gazing at her sleeping bag. It was nice Jason had enough to tailor to her personal needs. It seemed excessive to her sometimes, but Jay insisted it was no bother. "Time for sleep silly girl. In your sleeping bag you go." Percy rolled her eyes again, but kicked off her shoes and snuggled down under the covers nonetheless. "Night Perce," Jay said, settling down on his own bed and flicking off the lights.

"Night Jay," Percy whispered, staring at the ceiling for a moment before rolling on her side and curling in a ball. She hated it when she was bullied just before it was time for bed, because she almost always had nightmares. Now, Jason was good about waking up and consoling her when it got really bad. But tonight, she wanted to try and deal with it on her own.

"Are you asleep?" Percy nearly leapt through the ceiling when Nico spoke quietly behind her. She turned over in her sleeping bag, blinking at the almost intense white of Nico's eyes. "No, you aren't," the dark-haired boy replied, a hint of amusement lacing the words. "What's up little miss? Got something on your mind?"

"A lot," Percy replied honestly. "Daxter got ahold of my new number somehow and texted me. I…I didn't tell Jay this, but Ryder also texted me." Nico stared at the brunette in shock. He hadn't known that. "He…he told me I was worthless and no one would even care if I didn't exist and…and…" Percy swallowed down the sob building in her throat. "Nothing I haven't heard already, but…"

"Shh Perce it's alright," Nico soothed. He'd dealt with enough breakdowns when he was around Ash. He untangled himself from his sleeping bag and began twirling strands of Percy's hair around his fingers. It was another soothing technique he used on his ex. And it seemed to work for the brunette in front of him. She seemed to visibly relax. "You're not worthless little miss. Far from it. You see that boy right there." He jabbed a finger at the bed. Slowly, Percy nodded. "He loves you to death. And you're mother. How would she feel if she didn't have you?"

"She'd have a proper son," Percy replied quietly. Nico stifled a sigh, continuously twirling Percy's hair. He watched as her eyes began to droop. "She'd have a son she would be proud of."

"I'm sure she's proud of you," Nico whispered. He stilled, waiting to see how Percy would react. Her eyelashes fluttered delicately as she opened her sea-green eyes to look at him. "Percy." He noticed the way that the brunette flinched when he said her name. "Is there a name you like to go by when you're a girl?" he asked her gently.

"Percy's fine," the brunette replied to that. Nico shook his head. It clearly wasn't. But with a complicated name like Percy in the first place, it must've been difficult to switch back and forth.

"Well, if you ever decide that it isn't fine, I'm more than happy to call you by the name you prefer, alright?" He didn't want to pressure this sweet girl into doing anything she wasn't comfortable doing, like sharing a preferred name. So he was just going to make sure that she knew he was here for her.

"Thanks Nico," Percy replied to that, glancing up. The dark-haired boy chuckled, resuming toying with her hair. "Really. I appreciate it. It…It's not very often pe…people are open like this." Nico did notice Percy tended to stutter when she got nervous. Or really, really sad. "They t…tend to run w…when they f…find out."

"Never," Nico vowed. "There's nothing wrong with you little miss. You're just special." He heard Percy sigh, and when he glanced over, he realized with a start that she'd drifted off. "Alright cutie, sleep tight," he said, pulling the top of sleeping bag up to her chin.

"Hey." Nico jumped when Jason spoke. He's been so sure the blonde was sleeping. "Thanks for all of that. It means the world to her." The blonde rolled over, signaling the end of the conversation. But Nico lay there a long while, wondering why on earth anyone would ever be mean to this sweet little girl.

…

I've been reading Magnus Chase, and when Alex got introduced, I had this burning desire to update this story. Dunno why. Oh, hey, if you guys have any suggestions for Percy's name when she's a girl, feel free to add them.


	4. Chapter 4-What Are Friends For?

So, my friend and I picked out Percy's name for when he's a girl, but I'm not going to reveal it just yet. It's going to be a surprise.

…

Nico woke before the other two, so he simply lay in his sleeping bag, silently contemplating his life. Not that he was unhappy with his current situation, because he was actually very happy. Percy was an adorable being, so full of sunshine when the occasion arose. Since he wasn't sure what Percy would be for the day, since he knew firsthand that the gender wouldn't necessarily be the same, he decided that, for the time being, he would just say Percy, instead of using gender-specific pronouns.

He rolled over to face Percy, a smile tugging at his lips. He liked the brunette. He found Percy quirky and cute, despite all the flack the brunette got at school. Which, honestly, Nico didn't fully understand. Percy had this infectious, bubbly personality, something to be admired by a high school student. Just then, Percy woke up, gazing at Nico with an unfocused expression.

"Nico?" Percy asked. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long," Nico replied. "How did you sleep?"

"Good, I guess," Percy replied. Slowly, the brunette began to relax. "Thank god," Nico cocked his head to the side. "I'm a boy today," Percy explained. "Daxter picks on me less when I identify as male." Nico stifled a sigh. He really did hate that this sweet boy got picked on at all. "I wonder if Jay will let me borrow something," the brunette mused quietly to himself.

"I don't see why he wouldn't," Nico said to that. "He obviously loves you very much." Percy smiled. Despite everything, Jason had decided that the brunette would be his best friend. "So I doubt he'd mind much."

"I don't mind at all," the blonde interrupted. He'd actually woken up at about the same time as Percy, but he decided to let the two speak first before saying anything. The friendship that they'd been forming was sweet to him. It was quite obvious that Percy adored Nico. _Even if he won't admit it_ , the blonde mused silently to himself. "Go on and pick out whatever you like. Both of you," he added, looking at Nico.

"Thanks Jay, you're a doll," Percy said, rising and making his way over to the closet. He looked at everything, frowning thoughtfully. Even when he was a boy, he had a decidedly different taste than his friend. "Why don't you own soft colors?" Percy asked, turning to Jason, who shrugged.

"Because I don't," he said, but he heaved himself to his feet and dug around his closet for a moment. He pulled a duffle bag out of the bottom and plopped it on his bed. "Good thing I got some then." Percy's eyes lit up. "There's my adorable flower," Jason said, ruffling the brunette's hair. "Alright, I'm gonna go shower. You pick out whatever you want." And with that, the blonde left. Nico shook his head, gazing at Percy.

"He sure is good to you, isn't he?" Nico asked, also going to Jason's closet. He was going to wear his jeans from the day previous, but get a different shirt. And he did indeed see a lot of dark colors. He turned in time to watch Percy slip entirely out of his pajamas. His eyes widened momentarily and he quickly spun around, embarrassment painting his cheeks pink. He wasn't even sure why exactly. He'd seen semi-naked guys before. It had never been a problem.

"Nico?" Percy asked. Nico turned, silently relieved to see him fully clothed. In something not as feminine as yesterday's outfit, but still equally as adorable. He had dark jeans (because all Jason seemed to have was dark jeans) and a pastel blue long sleeved shirt. "What do you think?" he asked, spinning around so Nico could see.

"I think it's adorable," Nico said. "You're just…adorable." Percy smiled shyly, glancing down at his outfit. He wasn't entirely happy with the pants, but, Jason had bought him some shirts, so he wouldn't complain much. There were even a few for if he had woken up a girl, and there was this really pretty pink blouse that he wanted to try. But he often didn't, because it would only draw more mockery from his already judgmental classmates. "Perce, you look adorable, trust me," Nico assured, sensing his growing unease.

"I…I know," Percy stammered, wringing the bottom of the shirt nervously. Jason came in then, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Hey, he had nothing to hide.

"Cute outfit today Perce," he said, heading over to his closet. Nico, once again embarrassed, turned away, fighting his blush.

"Don't any of you know how to cover up around here?" he mumbled. Percy and Jason looked at each other and laughed. This was amusing to them. They'd been around each other so much that they were used to it, and didn't think twice around things like changing or showering in front of each other. Jason decided to make their new friend squirm a bit and kept rifling around his dresser drawers in his towel. "I'll be…elsewhere," Nico said, excusing himself. Percy giggled. He enjoyed this little morning adventure.

"I guess we've gotten a little too comfortable around ourselves," the blonde said, removing the towel to change. Percy didn't even bat an eyelash. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Nah," Percy said, sitting on the edge of the bed. He gathered his school supplies. "We're best friends; I don't think it matters much." At that, Jason smiled. Yes, they certainly were. "Oh, hey, I just got a text message," Percy said quietly, glancing down. And he sighed. Jason turned at the sound.

"Is it Daxter again?" Jason asked sharply. Percy flinched at the sound. Jason forced himself to relax. Yelling at Percy never did any good. "Sweetie, can I see the phone?" he asked, holding his hand out. Wordlessly, Percy handed the blonde the phone. He looked over the message, his blood boiling to dangerous levels. "One of these days I'm taking your phone to the police to deal with," he said. "I can't believe he said that." He glanced up, looking at his friend's fallen face. "Oh sweetie," he said, sitting beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "It's alright."

"Hey, is everything alright?" Nico asked, sticking his head in. "Hey Perce, what's wrong?" He sat down on the other side of the brunette. So far, Percy had remained mostly silent, just studying his hands. "Percy," Nico prompted gently. The brunette glanced up. "Do not let him get to you. Whatever he's said isn't true. Your worth so much more than you give yourself credit for." Slowly, the brunette began to smile.

"Thanks Nico," he said. He stood, slinging his backpack over his shoulders. He got his phone back from Jason. "Let's go to school already," he said over his shoulder. Jason and Nico looked at each other and grinned. Percy would never change.

…

Percy squeaked as Ryder backed him against the dirty bathroom wall. He'd only come in here to do his business. He didn't need his bullies constantly on his back. Besides, he didn't really look out of the ordinary today. And he was male, which matched his physical form, so he wasn't sure why he was being bullied in the first place.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Ryder asked. Percy glanced down, suddenly finding something interesting with his shoes. "Looks like we have ourselves a lost little girl."

"Actually, I am a boy today," Percy corrected. That was deeply engrained in him. Ryder sneered, slamming him against the wall. The brunette's breath left in a short gasp.

"Actually, I don't give a shit what you are," Ryder sneered. "You aren't right." Percy wheezed out a breath. Something felt bruised or broken. A rib maybe? "How the hell did you get Nico's affections anyway? Can't he see what a mistake you really are?"

"Nico doesn't think I'm a mistake," Percy defended weakly. But Ryder had a point. Percy didn't think highly of himself anyway, so it was easy for comments like that to get under his skin. "And…and… I don't know why he likes me," Percy replied truthfully. "He just…does."

"Not good enough," Ryder said, hauling Percy along by his shirt front.

"Hey, you never let me use the bathroom," Percy said. Yeah, it was a lame excuse. But, it was all he had. Ryder turned back and glared, and Percy snapped his mouth shut. He didn't want to push his luck. "Never mind. Where are we going anyway?"

"Will you just SHUT UP!" Ryder snapped. Percy flinched. "God you're annoying. I don't know why Daxter wants you right now, but he'd better make the payback worth it." The brunette's eyes widened. He began to struggle. He could handle a lot of things, but Daxter's wrath was not one of them. "Oh for fucks sake, Ethan!" Daxter's second crony came around the corner. "You deal with the brat. I just can't."

"You never were good with children, now were you?" Ethan teased with a smirk, grabbing Percy by the back of the shirt. "Quit your struggling whelp and come with me." Ethan led the way with Percy, while Ryder trailed behind. "Where did you corner him anyway?" Ethan asked like Percy wasn't even there.

"Bathroom," Ryder replied distractedly. "It was surprisingly easy. Though that detail doesn't really matter, does it?" He turned to Ethan, who just sighed.

"Did you at least let him use it?" he asked, stopping suddenly. "You know Daxter hates messes."

"Eh, it doesn't matter much, does it?" Ryder asked, though he sounded unsure. Ethan rolled his eyes. Truthfully, Percy didn't have to go anymore. But, if it stalled his meeting with Daxter, he'd take it.

"Whatever, it's your head if anything happens," Ethan said at last, starting up again. Percy made the mistake of trying to resist moving, and Ryder gave him a sharp kick to the behind. He yelped, shooting straight up for a moment. "Jesus Ryder," Ethan said. "I don't care if you're rough but don't bruise the boy. Daxter would not be amused." Ryder rolled his eyes. He honestly didn't care. He'd face Daxter's wrath.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" an angry voice asked. Three heads turned to face a very pissed off looking Jason. "Let him go damn it!"

"You know what, this isn't worth my time," Ethan said, suddenly letting go of Percy. The brunette bolted to the blonde, plowing into him. Jason studied him for a moment, taking in his disheveled appearance. Other than some rumpled clothing, he wasn't harmed. "Let's just go," Ethan said, dragging Ryder along, who heavily protested.

"Good god sweetie are you okay?" Jason asked Percy, placing a hand on his friend's trembling shoulders. "What would they have even done to you anyway?" Percy shrugged. He didn't know, and, quite frankly, he didn't want to know. "Hey, hey, it's alright," Jason soothed. He led the brunette away. "I know it's before lunch, but let's just go back to my house, alright?"

"Jason, I'm fine," Percy lied. But the steady look his friend gave him said otherwise. Percy sighed in defeat. Once Jason made up his mind about something, there wasn't much that could deter him from it. "If you cook my lunch, then I agree," Percy said at last. "But we have to okay it with my mom."

"The truth or the usual lie?" Jason asked as he helped the brunette gather his things. Percy debated letting him say what actually happened. But then he remembered that his mom would probably come to the school again, and he couldn't have that. That had been a whole new breeding ground of ridicule.

"Just make something up," he mumbled. Jason straightened, looking over at his friend, a frown crossing his features. He really did hate to see Percy so upset. His friend was usually so full of sunshine and happiness. "You don't have to come with me you know," Percy added as an afterthought.

"Nonsense," Jason said, slinging Percy's backpack over his shoulder. "I know I don't have to, but I want to. You're my best friend Perce. It's my job to make sure you're alright." Percy was once again thankful for his friend. He wasn't quite sure what he'd do without Jason around. "Come on sweetie, let's go."

"Alright," Percy agreed, following along.

…

"What they hell do you mean you let him go?" Daxter asked angrily. Ethan glanced up. Daxter didn't scare him, not really. But he did have a quick temper and was prone to lashing out at them if they displeased him. "We've handled the blonde brat more than enough times," he continued. "You could've taken him."

"Yeah, well, it would've caused a commotion," Ryder said easily from his place beside Ethan. "You're whole thing is subtly. Not very subtle if we get into a fight and get caught kidnapping a student. That's just bad."

"Tomorrow, you'd better not fail me," Daxter said, turning away in disgust. "He's going to pay for what he's done."

…

Ooooh cliffhanger! I bet that worries you, huh? Yeah, I'm trying to get myself on a schedule, so hopefully it won't be months until I update again.


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